Sockers shut out by El Paso in season opener

Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, May 3, 2009

From staff reports

EL PASO - The West Texas United Sockers started the regular season the same as they did the end of the exhibition season, with a lot of defense and little offense.

While that combination was good enough to finish the exhibition season 2-0-2, it didn't work in the regular season opener as the El Paso Patriots beat the Sockers 2-0 on Saturday night at Patriot Stadium.

"They worked hard and played good defensively but the thing that is hurting us is with our forwards not finishing," Sockers coach Jesus Enriquez said. "We hit the post one or two times."

The Patriots' experience proved to be the deciding factor. The oldest team in the Premier Development League (18 years) was able to get clutch goals in the 25th minute and the 70th minute.

"That's the difference," Enriquez said. "They had very good forwards with a lot of experience and most of the team have already played in the PDL."

The Sockers were without forward Carlos Guillen, who scored a couple of goals in the exhibition season. Enriquez said he should be back for the team's home opener against Rio Grande Valley at Grande Communications Stadium on Friday.

He and Joe Munoz were responsible for all of the Sockers' exhibition season goals.

This will be the season opener for Rio Grande Valley which had its season opener on Saturday with Laredo postponed due to swine flu.